Every student has the ability to improve and strengthen their writing. From students that need a little extra help to students that possess excellent writing skills, there is always room to create and achieve new learning goals. In this semester-long course, students will learn and/or review the conventions and standards of English writing to compose a variety of written essays to be compiled into a writing portfolio.

The goal of this course is for students to be able to construct a well-written narrative, expository, persuasive, literature response, and a research paper.

Many teachers expect students to complete work on their own; however, in my class each student begins the writing process in class. I believe in explicitly directing learners through models and modeling and giving time in class for guided and independent writing activities. This gives students the opportunity to practice in class so I may address any questions or concerns before finishing up work independently. 


At the end of class each week, students will draft their compositions. After class, students will have one week to submit their final drafts in .doc, .pdf format or as a shared document in GoogleDocs. I give feedback on all essays submitted on time. I use a rubric, but I do not provide a score. While it is easy for parents and students to calculate a score using my rubric provided, if requested I will give a score. This request must be made when submitting each essay. My goal is on the improvement of their writing and content, but I do understand many parents would like numerical scores for record keeping purposes. 

I feel it is important for students to have opportunities to apply the skills learned and gain information on how well they have used the newly acquired information.

Expectations and Goals
All students are expected to be prepared for class. If students cannot access GoogleDocs or print the handouts, they are expected to bring a notebook/paper to engage in the writing activities.
All students should participate and ask questions during class for clarification.
Students should be respectful of all other students (muting backgrounds, keeping chats class related).
Students are expected to stay on top of weekly homework assignments. Each learner has a whole week to complete the smaller tasks that lead up to a full essay.

Other Important Information
If a learner misses class, a recording will be available in the classroom. I will also provide access to the class presentation. Homework is posted each week. 

*If a learner enters class late, I expect them to review the material that was missed. I will try my best to catch them up, but this is not always possible during instructional time.*

Parents should ensure their learners are submitting their final essays in a timely manner. Due dates are always posted along with sample essays and class notes. Late work will not be accepted unless there are extenuating circumstances. As a teacher of many students and a parent of two children that are heavily involved in extracurriculars, it is time consuming to have to track down late essays and spend more time than allotted on the late work. Please be mindful and respectful of my time. I dedicate twice as much time outside of class as I do inside the classroom reaching to read and give feedback on each essay. Adhering to the due dates helps my time management tremendously. Thank you in advance.

A typical class will follow this structure:

1. Warm Up -3 minutes
2. Lesson Introduction - 2 minutes
3. Direct Instruction with Active Class Participation - 10 minutes
4. Guided Practice - 10 minutes
5. Independent Writing Practice - 15 minutes
6. Review/Exit Activity - 5 minutes

I look forward to having your learner in my class! I offer a warm, engaging learning environment!


🚨 I now offer a FLEX version of this course. Students will be able to complete each unit at their own pace. 

For learners that need differentiation, I offer shorter writing assignments, sentence stems, and guided outlines to assist with writing. 


For parents that may feel their learner needs a review of the basics before joining, please consider my popular, six-week course, "I Can Write Well."